Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zanmusunbur’

ABSTRACT

A  chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Zanmusunbur’ characterized by its small sized semi-double blooms with yellow ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date September 10; blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium Ramat.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Zanmusunbur’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthenum×morifolium Ramat., commercially grown as a garden mum, and herein after referred to by the cultivar denomination ‘Zanmusunbur’. ‘Zanmusunbur’ is a product of a breeding and selection program for outdoor pot mums (garden mums) which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with a semi-double type flower, a natural season flower date around September 10 (week 37); blooming for a period of 5 weeks. ‘Zanmusunbur’ is a seedling resulting from a crossing program, set up by a previous breeder, and which records are unknown to the inventor. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as a flowering plant by Wilhelmus Bernardus Blom on a cultivated field in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in 2003. The first act of asexual production of ‘Zanmusunbur’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings from the initial selection in 2003 were propagated further in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the various stages of foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown out door in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands under natural day length and temperature and planted in week 25 in 2007. The natural blooming date of this crop was September 10 (week 37) . The average height of the plants was 25 cm. No growth retardants were used. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. No tests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety produces small sized blooms with yellow ray florets blooming for a period of 5 weeks. From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivar in comparison to ‘Zanmusunbur’ is ‘Florina’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,672). When ‘Florina’ and ‘Zanmusunbur’ are being compared the following difference is noticed: The differences of ‘Florina’ and ‘Zanmusunbur’ are (1) Number of ray-florets and (2) Length ray-florets (1) The number of ray-florets is higher in ‘Zanmusunbur’ than in ‘Florina’. (2) The ray-florets of ‘Zanmusunbur’ are longer than those of ‘Florina’.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘Zanmusunbur’ as a new and distinct variety.

The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart used in this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, edition 2001.

TABLE 1 Botanical description of chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zanmusunbur’ Bud Size Small; cross-section 0.3 cm, height 0.5 cm Outside Color Green 143C Phyllaries 2 rows Phyllaries among disc-florets Not present Bloom Type Semi-double Height 1 cm Size 3 cm Phyllary number 25-28 Phyllary color (upper surface) Green 138A Phyllary length and width length 7 mm, width 3 mm Peduncle length 7-8 cm Peduncle color Green 138B Number of blooms per branch Approx. 5 blooms per branch Duration of flowering 5 weeks Seeds Produced in small quantities, ovate grey-brown 199A, 1½ mm in length. Fragrance Typical chrysanthemum, slightly Color Center of the flower (disc florets) Immature stage: Yellow-green 144C Mature stage: Yellow-orange 16B Color of upper surface of the ray- Yellow 7A florets Color of the lower surface of the Yellow 8A ray-florets Tonality from Distance A garden mum with yellow flowers Color of the ray-florets after aging Yellow 7B of the plant Ray florets Texture Upper and under side smooth Number 68-72 Cross-section Flat Longitudinal axis of majority Straight Length of corolla tube 0.4 cm Ray-floret margin Entire Ray-floret length 2-2.2 cm Ray-floret width 0.5-0.6 cm Ratio length/width Medium Shape of tip Dentate Disc florets Disc diameter 1 cm Distribution of disc florets Numerous, clearly visible in all stages Number 50-60 Size Ca. 5 mm (length) and 1 mm (diameter) Shape Tubular Color Yellow-green 144C (upper part); Yellow 11D at base Receptacle shape Conical raised Reproductive Organs Stamen Present in disc florets only Number of stamen per disc floret Ca. 5 Stamen color Yellow-green 144A Pollen Present Pollen color Yellow 7A Pistil Present in both ray- and disc florets Pistil number One per floret Style color Yellow 13A Style Length 4 mm Stigma color Yellow-green 144A Stigma Width 1 mm Ovaries Enclosed in calyx Plant Form Grown as a spray type potmum, outdoor mounded and round Growth habit Spherical shape Growth rate Low Height 25-30 cm Width 35-40 cm Stem Color Greyed-brown 199C Stem Strength Strong Stem Brittleness Not brittle Stem Anthocyanin Coloration Absent Internode length 0.5-0.75 cm Length of lateral branch From top to bottom 12 cm Lateral branch color Green 137C Lateral branch, attachment Medium strength Branching (average number of Good with 7-8 breaks after pinching lateral branches) Natural season blooming date September 10 (week 37) Foliage Leaf color Upper side: Green 137A Lower side: Green 139C Color midvein Upper side: Yellow-green 147D Lower side: Yellow-green 148D Size Small.; length 4-4.5 cm, width 2.5-3.5 cm Quantity (number per lateral 14-16 branch) Shape Ovate Texture upper side Glabrous Texture under side Pubescent Venation arrangement Palmate Shape of the margin Serrated Shape of Base of Sinus Between Rounded Lateral Lobes Margin of Sinus Between Lateral Diverging Lobes Shape of Base Obtuse-rounded Apex Mucronulate Petiole length 0.5-1 cm Petiole color Yellow-green 147D

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison variety ‘Zanmusunbur’ ‘Florina’ Number ray-florets 68-72 40 Length ray-florets 2-2.2 cm 1.5 cm 

1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zanmusunbur’ as described and illustrated. 